NEWS WATCH

NEWS WATCH; Showtime to Give Web a Whirl With a New Animated Series

By Matt Richtel

Published: February 18, 1999

Showtime Networks' new animated series called ''Whirlgirl'' will make its debut later this month, but not on television. The show, about a 21st-century superheroine who takes on the evil high-tech media empire, will be seen exclusively on the Web.

''Whirlgirl,'' which is to be shown at www.showtimeonline.com, is the first Web-only production for Showtime. A company senior vice president, Tom Hayden, said the series' 28 episodes, each three to four minutes long, were designed to attract visitors to the site in the hope that they would sign up for Showtime. He added that depending on the reception given ''Whirlgirl,'' the company might ultimately develop it into a program for the Showtime television network.

There are other business opportunities associated with the project, Mr. Hayden said, and noted that ''we'll exploit any merchandising opportunities along the way.'' Sounds like the kind of media empire Whirlgirl might want to take a crack at.